Page 15 of Claimed By the Heartless Highlander
The sound was coming from the deeper woods, away from the path, and his foreboding feeling intensified.
“Ailis, wait a moment…”
His warning was too late, or she simply didn’t heed him. Without a second thought or even a moment of hesitation, the girl turned and vanished into the woods in the direction of the faint sound.
“God above, save me from witless women and their lack of sense or caution…”
With a snarl, Duncan grabbed his long blade and followed her.
CHAPTER7
The soundof the child crying was like a fairie flute, drawing her onward, deeper into the woods. Ailis followed it, stopping here and there to listen and change direction as needed.
It sounded as if the child might be moving away from her, and she found that puzzling. Was the child lost and wandering, or perhaps returning home? She wasn’t familiar with this section of the woods—perhaps there was a woodsman’s family or a crofter in the area.
She stumbled into a clearing and stopped. There was no child, none that she could see, but there were three men, all with drawn weapons and unpleasant smiles. The smiles turned into lewd leers as they saw her.
“Look at that! ‘Tis a pretty wench!”
The question about the bairn was on the tip of her tongue, but she wasn’t sure she should ask it.
Suddenly, Duncan walked up behind her. He caught her arm and dragged her back. “Get behind me.”
She didn’t dare ignore him, but she couldn’t help speaking, “The bairn… I heard a bairn.”
“Nay, ye heard one of these blackguards makin’ a noise to imitate a bairn. ‘Tis how they lure travelers from the path.”
“Ye ken our plans…” One of the men—bandits, she realized with a sense of embarrassment for her gullibility—shook his head in mock sorrow. “We were goin’ to rob ye and let ye go, but now ye’ll have to die.”
She very much doubted they’d ever intended to let them go. From Duncan’s snort, she thought he was of the same mind.
“I dinnae ken…” The one on the left licked his lips, his eyes hungry as he stared at her. “We could let the woman live… if she’s good enough.” His leer widened as he made a crude gesture. “She’s small, but she looks good for a few rounds.”
“Looks like a lady. Never had a lady,” said one of the others. “I’m with Garn. Kill the oaf and take the wench back with us. We can findlotsof uses for her.”
She shuddered, and Duncan looked down at her, his eyes dark and hot, with something terrifying coming to life in their depths. “Dinnae worry, Ailis. They’ll nae lay a hand on ye.”
“Ailis… a bonny name. But for me, I like makin’ a woman cry until she’d answer to anythin’ I call her.” The man who hadn’t spoken sneered. He seemed to be the leader—Garn, he was called? “I think ye’re right.”
His voice turned low and soft and ugly. “Kill the man. Capture the wench. We’ll have our fun, then take her back to the camp for the rest to have a turn.”
“Ye’d do better to run.” While the bandit’s voice reminded her of the hissing of snakes, Duncan’s was cold as winter winds across the top of the crags. “Run and live another day. Otherwise, yer lives end here.”
“There’s more of us, and ye dinnae look like ye’re so skilled.”
Before Ailis could fully process what the man had said, the bandits attacked.
Duncan didn’t hesitate. He lunged toward the three of them, keeping the fight on the other side of the clearing, well away from her.
She’d thought he looked like a warrior out of her favorite stories. She hadn’t been sure, until this moment, whether or not he could fight like one.
Now she knew. Duncan Wallace was a true “Beast” with a blade.
His sword, a longer form of a broadsword that didn’t quite reach the length of a bastard sword, was a blur as he engaged with the three men, blocking and striking so fast that she could barely keep track of his movements. Every step, every parry, and every strike was precise and fast.
He was outnumbered three to one and held his own with what looked like effortless ease.
Back and forth the combat wove through the clearing. She thought at one point that she saw a bandit’s blade slip past Duncan’s guard, but she couldn’t be sure. All she knew was when one of the bandits made a fatal mistake and swung too wide, thus burying his blade in a nearby tree.
